Billings and GCL Reds rosters released

[OnBaseMachine]

2006 Billings Mustangs

Notables include: OF Drew Stubbs, 1B Logan Parker, RHP Sean Watson, LHP Travis Webb, RHP Jordan Smith, RHP Kevin Gunter, and RHP Rafael Gonzalez.

Jordan Smith(6th round pick this year) is listed on their as a 3B, but I am pretty darn sure that is a mistake.

2006 GCL Reds

Notables include: RHP Jeremy Burchett, LHP Robbie Nickols, C Jacob Long, 3B Milton Loo, SS Michael Jones, 3B Rafael Sanchez, OF Keltavious Jones, and OF Justin Reed.

I wish Loo would have started in Billings, but I figure he will find his way there very soon if he hits well.

[OnBaseMachine]

That GCL team is loaded with good athletes. That will be a fun team to follow with the power armed lefty (Nickols) combined with the power potential of Milton Loo, Rafael Sanchez, and Michael Jones and the athletism of Justin Reed and Keltavious Jones.

Stubbs and Parker are about the only bats I'm truly interested in from Billings, but that pitching staff lef by the power arms of Sean Watson, Travis Webb, Rafael Gonzalez, and Jordan Smith and the polished arm of Kevin Ginter could be worth watching.

[reds44]

Thanks OBM.

I can't wait to see if Justin Reed can actually hit. He is such an athlete, if he has a decent bat he could be a steal.

[Shaknb8k]

im really interested in the Reed draft pick. Seems like they definatly didnt think he would still be there and once they saw him there they couldnt pass it up.

[KronoRed]

Thanks ObM

[dabvu2498]

Kelatvious Jones -- automatic 1st team All-Name Team. Wonder if he's related to Motorboat...

[Doc. Scott]

Very interesting. A handful of completely unknown non-Latino players on the GCL roster. We appear to have been active on the NDFA and secondhand markets.

Given the Billings assignments of eight Latino players (a couple, like Lasso and Rojo, who have played elsewhere- but several who haven't been in the US before), it appears as though our south-of-the-border operations are doing well.

[reds44]

When do their seasons begin?

[CTA513]

Originally Posted by reds44

When do their seasons begin?

Both season start tomorrow (June 20th).

[knuckler]

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

Kelatvious Jones -- automatic 1st team All-Name Team. Wonder if he's related to Motorboat...

Gotta like "Jose Bastardo" too. That's some good material for nicknames and newspaper headlines.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by Doc. Scott

Very interesting. A handful of completely unknown non-Latino players on the GCL roster. We appear to have been active on the NDFA and secondhand markets.

Given the Billings assignments of eight Latino players (a couple, like Lasso and Rojo, who have played elsewhere- but several who haven't been in the US before), it appears as though our south-of-the-border operations are doing well.

I started a thread earlier today on our Venezuelan team which is currently in 1st place. I'm trying to get more information on the league from the Reds (along with the Dominican team too).

[cjtenn28]

I see Terrell Young on the roster. What is up with this guy? I was wondering about him. Also, why isn't Chris Gruler on the GCL Reds roster? I guess he is still not ready to try it again.

[redsmetz]

Here's an article about the starting lineup for Billings from the Gazette.

Top pick Stubbs hitting 3rd
Drew Stubbs, the Reds' No. 1 selection from the University of Texas, will bat third and play center field in manager Rick Burleson's season-opening lineup tonight against the Great Falls White Sox.

Billy Rojo, who hit .274 with the Gulf Coast League Reds last season, will play second base and bat lead-off for the Mustangs, while shortstop Yoni Lasso, who played briefly in Billings last season, bats second.

Following Stubbs in the lineup and batting clean-up is first baseman Logan Parker, a 12th-round pick out of the University of Cincinnati. Then it's third baseman Jason Louwsma (29th round, Florida Gulf Coast), Michael McKennon (25th round, Texas-San Antonio), designated hitter Angel Colon (.255 with the GCL Reds last year), left fielder Chris Heisey (17th round, Messiah College) or Maikol Mesa (.250 with GCL Reds last year) and then catcher Justin Tordi (41st round from Florida in 2005).

Daniel Guerrero, a 6-foot-1 right-hander, will be on the mound tonight for the Mustangs. Guerrero was signed as a free agent out of Tecuala, Mexico, last year and he went 2-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 14 games for the Reds' Venezuelan Summer League team.

"I think things have gone well," Burleson said of his team's workouts heading into tonight's Pioneer League opener. "I think it's a very good group of young athletes, I really do. I'm expecting some good things from this club."

Great Falls, which is managed by Bobby Tolan, who played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1969-73, will feature catcher Tyler Reves, a fourth-round pick from Texas Tech, and second baseman John Shelby III, a fifth-round pick from Kentucky.

Pitcher Kyle McCulloch, a teammate of the Mustangs' Stubbs at the University of Texas, was the No. 1 pick for the White Sox but he hasn't been added to the Great Falls roster yet and likely won't be in Billings.

[OnBaseMachine]

Meet the Mustangs

Here's a quick guide to the opening day roster for the 2006 Billings Mustangs. The Mustangs open the season at Cobb Field with a six-game homestand. The first four games are against the Great Falls White Sox and last two games will be against the Helena Brewers.

Rick Burleson
Manager

Years with Reds: 6

Last year: Managed Billings Mustangs
Jeff Young
Hitting coach

Years with Reds: 3

Last year: Coached Billings Mustangs


Doug Bair
Pitching coach


Misael DeJesus
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 190

Born: 11/5/84

Acquired: '04 free agent

Previous team: DSL Reds


Rafael Gonzalez
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 230

Born: 3/21/86

Acquired: '04 draft (4)

Previous team: Mustangs


Anthony Gressick
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 200

Born: 1/1/84

Acquired: '06 draft (26)

Previous team: Ohio University


Daniel Guerrero
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 190

Born: 7/21/85

Acquired: '05 free agent

Previous team: VSL Reds


Kevin Gunter
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 220

Born: 11/05/83

Acquired: '06 draft (13)

Previous team: Old Dominion


Kyle Huddy
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 220

Born: 6/13/83

Acquired: '05 free agent

Previous team: GCL Reds


Dane Mason
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 190

Born: 12/3/82

Acquired: '06 free agent

Previous team: UT Pan American


Marcos Mateo
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 195

Born: 4/18/84

Acquired: '04 free agent

Previous team: GCL Reds


James Morris
Position: Pitcher

B/T: L/L

Ht: 6-8 Wt: 240

Born: 6/3/83

Acquired: '05 draft (23)

Previous team: Mustangs


Luis Moya
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 175

Born: 1/1/84

Acquired: '01 free agent

Previous team: GCL Reds


Logan Ondrusek
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-8 Wt: 205

Born: 2/13/85

Acquired: '05 draft (13)

Previous team: Mustangs


Jordan Smith
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 210

Born: 2/4/86

Acquired: '06 draft (6)

Previous team: Sierra Nevada College


Sean Watson
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 210

Born: 7/24/85

Acquired: '06 draft (2)

Previous team: Tennessee


Travis Webb
Position: Pitcher

B/T: L/L

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205

Born: 8/2/84

Acquired: '06 draft (8)

Previous team: Washington State


Chris White
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 205

Born: 10/14/82

Acquired: '06 draft (21)

Previous team: Texas A&M-Kingsville


Terrell Young
Position: Pitcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 205

Born: 8/7/85

Acquired: '04 draft (10)

Previous team: GCL Reds


Tony Esquer
Position: Catcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 215

Born: 9/3/84

Acquired: '06 draft (24)

Previous team: Cal Poly-Pomona


Rey Gonzalez
Position: Catcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 5-9 Wt: 205

Born: 8/16/84

Acquired: '01free agent

Previous team: GCL Reds


Justin Tordi
Position: Catcher

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 195

Born: 4/9/84

Acquired: '05 draft (41)

Previous team: Florida


Angel Colon
Position: Infielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 210

Born: 9/27/83

Acquired: '05 draft (35)

Previous team: GCL Reds


Kevyn Feiner
Position: Infielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 175

Born: 6/11/87

Acquired: '05 draft (18)

Previous team: Mustangs


Yoni Lasso
Position: Infielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 190

Born: 11/22/84

Acquired: '04 free agent

Previous team: Mustangs


Jason Louwsma
Position: Infielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 210

Born: 9/9/83

Acquired: '06 draft (29)

Previous team: Florida Gulf Coast Univ.


Logan Parker
Position: Infielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 220

Born: 7/18/84

Acquired: '06 draft (12)

Previous team: Univ. of Cincinnati


Billy Rojo
Position: Infielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 5-8 Wt: 175

Born: 4/23/83

Acquired: '03 free agent

Previous team: GCL Reds


Jason Winkler
Position: Infielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 210

Born: 5/7/84

Acquired: '06 free agent

Previous team: Concordia (Texas) Univ.


Chris Heisey
Position: Outfielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 195

Born: 12/14/84

Acquired: '06 draft (17)

Previous team: Messiah College


Michael McKennon
Position: Outfielder

B/T: L/L

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 210

Born: 3/31/85

Acquired: '06 draft (25)

Previous team: Texas-San Antonio


Maikol Mesa
Position: Outfielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 195

Born: 9/24/85

Acquired: '04 free agent

Previous team: GCL Reds


Drew Stubbs
Position: Outfielder

B/T: R/R

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 210

Born: 10/4/84

Acquired: '06 draft (1)

Previous team: Univ. of Texas


Jimmy Mattocks
Athletic trainer


Trevor Dorian
Strength coach

http://www.billingsgazette.net/artic...5-mustangs.txt

[Steve4192]

Billy Rojo, who hit .274 with the Gulf Coast League Reds last season, will play second base and bat lead-off for the Mustangs, while shortstop Yoni Lasso, who played briefly in Billings last season, bats second.

Does anyone know what is up with 3rd round SS Christopher Valaika and 7th round 2B Justin Turner?

According to an article in the Billings Gazette, both 2006 draftees are signed and will be placed on the Billings roster pending the results of their physicals. Are Rojo/Lasso merely reserves who are filling in on a temporary basis or will Valaika/Turner be coming off the bench?